


Forbidden Lust

by Chocobroing



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst, Dirty Talk, F/M, First Time, Hate Sex, Mild Language, Multi, Oral Sex, Public Sex, Rough Sex, World of Ruin, heavy shit, not a threesome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-06
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2018-09-29 21:41:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10144982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chocobroing/pseuds/Chocobroing
Summary: Concordia is a kingdom that was captured by the Empire a while back. The princess of that land, Elizabeth, has to marry Ravus Nox Fleuret as consolation. At her 21st birthday, she comes across Ardyn Izunia, the Chancellor of Niflheim, and passions run wild.





	1. Forbidden Lust

**Author's Note:**

> Also titled "I Need to Go to Church"

Forbidden Lust

Concordia was a peaceful kingdom, full of lush greenery and bountiful harvests. Those living there were treated with fairness and kindness by the gentle king. Everything was very calm and peaceful until the ships came. Even though Concordia put up a valiant fight, Niflheim took over the kingdom, holding the king and his people hostage. Their princess, next in line, was in effect a captive to the Niflheim and expected to marry Ravus Nox Fleuret. She didn't want to marry the man who blamed the kind king Regis for the taking over of Tenebrae. Her words were ignored, nonetheless.

Her father didn't like the Empire one bit, but he had to comply with them or suffer the loss of his people. The only thing he did order, however, was his daughter to stay away from the Chancellor of Niflheim, Ardyn Izunia. He didn't know why, but something was off about that man. He was very amiable but he hid darkness that anyone could sense. Princess Elizabeth was very naïve. She didn't know much of the world, even though she was almost twenty-one. As a child, her kingdom was taken over and she wasn't allowed to learn much of the outside world. She learned the basic things that was required for royals to learn.

That night, the remaining Concordian parliament decided to throw a ball in Beth's honor. They were celebrating her twenty-first birthday. Another party would be in order to celebrate her crowning as queen, even though she wasn't the true sovereign of her land. As she was getting her dress fitted, her father came in to give her some advice.

"Beth," he said in his gentle yet gruff voice. "I want you to stay away from the Niflheim chancellor tonight. I know you have to interact with the Niflheim government, but keep your interactions between Izunia short and brief. I don't trust him."

"How come?" asked Beth, as she turned to look at her father.

"I don't like the way he looks at you," King Richard admitted. "It makes me uneasy that he watches your every move whenever we convene with the Empire. It seems that he is taken to you."

"Daddy, you worry too much," she said, hugging him. "But I will stay away from him, anyways."

"Thank you, Beth," he said, holding her tightly, wishing he could protect her from the world.

…

After greeting the Empire, Elizabeth went out on the balcony to get some air. She gazed out at the stars, counting how many she could see. Now that she was twenty-one, she could have a glass of champagne without getting in trouble. As she stood out there, she felt another presence standing behind and she turned to look. Her heart sank when she saw that it was Ardyn Izunia. He had a thoughtful expression on his face and his amber eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight.

"Chancellor," said Beth in a put-on tone. "What can I do for you?"

"Congratulations, Princess Elizabeth," he replied, lifting a wine glass up. "You only turn twenty-one once." He seemed to smirk at an inside joke.

"What is it you want, Chancellor?" she asked, losing her polite tone. "My father told me to stay away from you."

He looked wounded and pouted his lower lip in a playful way. "Oh, tsk, tsk, how rude," he said calmly, putting a hand to his chest.

"Everyone fears you, Chancellor," said Beth coldly, glaring at him.

"Don't let them deter you," he murmured, giving her a gentle smile.

Uncomfortable, Beth turned around and intended to walk away, but Ardyn grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her back. She turned back to him with an alarmed look on her face and her heart jumped to her throat.

"Chancellor," she started, but he cut her off. "Call me Ardyn, dear."

"Ardyn, what do you want?" That came out ruder than she intended. "You keep stalking me."

"I do not stalk you," he argued, looking annoyed.

"You do," she retorted, flushing in anger. "You stalk me, you watch me, and you scare my father and me." Her eyes flashed with fury as she glared at him. "What is it with you?"

Ardyn gave her a serious look and, without saying anything, bent in and firmly kissed her on the mouth. The hand that was on her elbow loosened and slid down to her waist, pulling her close. Beth's hands landed on his chest and slid up around his neck, deepening the kiss. She ran her hands through his red-violet hair and pulled him closer towards him. She could taste him on her tongue and she could taste the spicy flavor of wine. Just as her head began spinning from lack of oxygen, Ardyn pulled back and began trailing his lips down her neck and collar bone.

He loved this dress on her. It seemed that it was made to inflame a man's desire. It was a strapless floor-length red beauty that was backless and clung to her upper torso, showing off her full breasts and flat stomach. Even in her heels, she was still shorter than him. He had to bend down to access her throat. His lips trailed to her jugular vein and began nibbling at her pulse. He could feel the heat in her body and smell her arousal. It amused him, to say the least.

"My lady," he said in a seductive yet disapproving tone. "You should see yourself. You're dripping and keening for me. What would your father say?"

"Shut up," she hissed, pulling away from him. "I'm not wet."

"Oooh," he said, smirking. "Are you sure?" He reached up under her dress and caressed at the damp crotch of her panties. A whimpering moan came from her when his deft fingers touched her there. Her legs grew unsteady and she had to grab onto his arm to keep herself up.

"I'm not…wet," she hissed, trying to deny what her body was doing.

"Yes, you are," he said in an almost cooing tone. "You're sopped through."

"Shut up," was all she could say. She knew she couldn't deny it anymore and that was the only smart thing she could say.

"Is it for me?" he asked mockingly, knowing damn well it was. "I'm flattered, Princess."

"I hate you," she said, sounding very juvenile. It was hard to think of anything to say because he kept touching her there. She was only responding with words that were automatic.

He tutted her like he was reproving her for saying something naughty. "No, you don't," he remarked, stroking that area more insistently. His touch was so rough that it almost hurt her.

She bit back a moan but her lower jaw trembled with the need to release it. Her eyes closed and all she could do was hold on to him. She didn't want to fight it anymore. She was too tired to fight.

"Just do it," she ground out, her teeth gritted.

"Your wish is my command, Princess," he purred, smirking at her. "Now, you might want to hold on. This will get very rough."

Before she could ponder on what he meant by that, he slipped his hand into her panties and showed her just how fast and rough his fingers could get. Shockwaves of pleasure went through her body and her grip on him tightened. The pleasure engulfed her and she had to bite her bottom lip to keep herself from moaning out loud. Her body contracted with pending release and a whimper finally escaped from her. It seemed to urge Ardyn to quicken his pace because his fingers started to move so quickly that Beth couldn't remember her own name.

"Please…" she managed to whimper out, sounding so desperate and needy that she wanted to slap herself. How could this man get her like this?

"What's wrong, my dear Princess?" he asked gently, using his other hand to stroke her face. "Do you need to come? Is that what you're telling me?" He had a demon's tongue and it worked on her.

With a strangled moan, her body tensed and she released her nectar all over his fingers. After that sweet moment, her knees felt like Jell-O and she fell into Ardyn's chest. He held her with his free arm as he pulled his hand out of her panties and sucked her essence off his fingers. Beth's vision began to blur and she closed her eyes, absolutely exhausted. Ardyn was amused by how just one orgasm could wear her out. She truly was a virgin.

"There," he cooed, stroking her back in a soothing manner. "Doesn't that feel better? I didn't know you could give so much, Beth." Hearing her name on his lips made want claw at her stomach. "Would you like to go somewhere and relieve this tension once and for all?"

She wanted to listen to her honorable half telling her not to it, but her hormonal, needy half outweighed that. Leaning up, she pressed her mouth to his to tell him her answer.

…

Beth led Ardyn to a secluded area in the garden where no one would see them and she began removing her panties. Ardyn was amused by her eagerness and he removed his coat, spreading it out so she could lay on it. She took the invitation and laid back on it with her legs spread to accommodate him. They would have to be quick so no one would get suspicious. Ardyn undid the button and zipper to his pants and pulled his large hardened member out. It wasn't until that moment that Beth knew he wasn't wearing any boxers. For a moment, she wondered how he was going to fit in her.

"Hold on a minute," he said, holding a hand up. "I don't want your dress to get all bloody. Remove the dress and put it somewhere to the side so we don't get it dirty."

In her lust-filled mind, Beth seem to understand his reasoning. If they fucked while she was in her dress, it would get very dirty and everyone would know what they did. She couldn't say this was making love because she didn't love him. This was just two people in need of release. After this, they would continue going on as if this never happened.

She undid the zipper on her dress and stripped down, standing before Ardyn in her panties. The dress was strapless and backless so she didn't have a bra on. The cool air made her nipples pucker and goosebumps to rise on her skin. She wanted to do this quickly and get it over with. Ardyn eyed her body in an approving manner and he smirked, absolutely loving how she looked. Her breasts were full and perky and her stomach was flat. She looked beautiful in the moonlight. It seemed to make her pale skin glow.

His intense scrutiny made her nervous and she wanted to cover herself up. "What?" she asked, nibbling her bottom lip.

"You're gorgeous," he said, noting the flush that appeared on her skin. "You're like a seductive nymph. Any man would kill to have you."

His compliments made her feel awkward. "Shut up," she said but she was smiling.

Getting back to business, Beth pulled her panties down to reveal her damp mound to him. When she was fully nude, she laid back down on his jacket and offered herself to him. Ardyn wasn't sure where to start. He wanted to taste her womanhood, but he knew they had to be quick. He lined himself up at her damp opening and slammed into her.

Pain went through Beth's spine and she arched her back, letting out a cry of agony. She breathed through her nose and tried to relax her body so the pain would go away. She knew he popped her virgin barrier because she could feel warm liquid trickling down her thigh. He was right when he told her to remove the dress.

"Shiva, this hurts," she whined through clenched teeth, digging a hand through his violet-red locks.

"You have to relax, love," he said gently, stroking her soft cheek with one hand. "I know it's hard but you need to relax."

"Kiss me," she whispered, giving him a serious look to show that she wasn't kidding.

With fierceness that Beth was unaware of, Ardyn slammed his mouth to hers and kissed her so passionately, so deeply, that it made her lips bruise. The distraction of the kiss made Beth's body soften and the pain was slowly seeping away. As his lips moved across hers, he began to thrust inside of her, keeping his pace slow and gentle at first. Beth wrapped her arms around Ardyn's neck, deepening the kiss, and held him close. She ran her fingers through his hair and stroked his face with a gentle touch.

"Elizabeth…" he breathed as he pulled back to look at her. He could see the need in her eyes. The lust was making her beautiful brown eyes darker.

"Do it," she whispered, sounding very seductive. The sound of her voice made his member harden even more. Astrals damn the wench.

 

“And lose the lovely sight of a deflowered virgin begging for more?” he asked rhetorically. “What kind of fool do you take me for?”

“Please…” she pleaded, giving him a begging look.

Ardyn's eyes glowed with desire and he took that as a challenge. With no mercy, he slammed into her, causing her body to jolt, and listened to her moans. He wasn't a fool. He knew girls like her wanted slow and gentle love-making. Well, he wasn't going to give it to her. He was going to be hard and rough with her. She was always treated like a princess by everyone else. He wanted to treat her like a whore, to be used and put aside.

As his pace grew brutal and merciless, Beth's moans morphed into desperate cries and she clung to him, digging her fingers into the back of his vest. Ardyn grunted with every thrust, feeling his end coming soon. She squeezed his member with those damn tight muscles of hers. She truly was a virgin. Her movements were those of an inexperienced woman and she seemed to be coming soon. The more a woman had sex, the longer they could stand and have more stamina.

"Fuck," growled Ardyn, feeling her vagina squeezed him like a vice. "You're so tight, you dirty whore."

"I am a princess," she breathed, trying to glare at him. It was hard to be mad at him when he made her feel so good. "You cannot talk to me that way."

Ardyn smirked. "You are a whore," he retorted, noting that she grew wetter with his words. "You like being called names. You like being used and defiled. For once, someone isn't treating you like a delicate china doll and you revel in it."

Beth wanted to deny his words but she knew he was right. She may have been a princess but she loved getting treated like this. The thought of rough, passionate sex made her swoon.

"Fuck you," she growled, giving him a glare.

Ardyn laughed at her choice of words. "You already are, my dear Elizabeth," he said teasingly. "Tell me what you want and I will give it to you."

"Fuck me hard," she ordered, keeping her glare on him. "Make me feel it."

"Be careful what you ask for," he purred, giving her a deadly smirk.

With that being said, he slammed into her, not giving her any rest or mercy. His hips moved like pistons and she began screaming out in pure bliss. He tightened his grip on her and began kissing her neck, collarbone, and breasts. By the sounds of her cries, he knew she was so close that it hurt her. He didn't care. He kept slamming into her, making her feel it. Beth's body tightened around him and she finally released, the liquid soaking his member.

He fucked her through three more orgasms before he finally came himself. He came with a loud groan and emptied himself into his dirty little princess. The feel of his essence spraying into her made her come one last time and she whimpered when she collapsed on his coat, trying to catch her breath. The night air cooled her sweaty body down and her eyes fluttered wearily. Holy Shiva, she was exhausted. She just came about four times in one night.

"That was wonderful," said Ardyn as he pulled out of her. "Was it good for you too, dear Princess?" He was teasing her again.

"Yes," she said shakily, trembling uncontrollably from how much she released. "I can't stop shaking."

Ardyn gave her a little coo before wrapping her in a strong embrace. "It's alright, Elizabeth," he cooed, stroking her mussed hair. "That's normal. I just made this the best night of your life."

Beth didn't want to hear his stupid comments right now. "Just shut the fuck up, Ardyn," she groaned, sitting up. She whined when her head spun. Damn that man for making her hurt!

When he let her go, she began collecting her clothes to get dressed again, but her panties were missing. Unbeknownst to her, he put her panties in his pocket. He wanted to keep a little souvenir from their night. He gave her his scarf to wipe herself with and she gave it back to him as soon as her inner legs were clean. She zipped up her dress and straightened her hair, fixing it from the passionate sex. She didn't see any dirt on herself or the dress so she felt it was safe to go.

"What do we tell everyone when we get back?" she hissed as they walked back to the castle. "I'm a horrible liar."

Ardyn smirked at her. "You seem to underestimate my ability to tell a lie, my dear," he said, making her stir uncomfortably. "We can tell them you took me to see the gardens."

Beth nodded, thinking that sounded believable enough. The only thing she wondered was if her father would believe that.

…

As soon as they arrived, everyone pelted the princess with questions on where she and Ardyn went. Beth stammered and tried to not make a fool out of herself.

"She took me to see the gardens," replied Ardyn amiably, smiling at her. "She was rather anxious to let me see how well everything was growing. I rather like the roses. Ravus, I must say your fiancée is charming."

Beth wanted to slap Ardyn for his comment. She didn't want her fiancé to find out that she had a tryst with the Chancellor of Niflheim. She knew he wouldn't mind that she had sex with someone but he would never want that someone to be Ardyn.

"Indeed, she is," said Ravus coolly, approaching the couple. "Darling." He offered his arm to the shaken Beth, who took it without hesitation. "Did you enjoy your walk with the Chancellor?"

"Of course, dearest," replied Beth, giving Ravus a thin smile. "He seems to know a lot about plants."

Despite not loving Ravus, Beth felt extremely guilty. She knew the sex with Ardyn was good but she felt unfaithful to her fiancé. She felt like a total whore for sleeping with man other than her fiancé. Ravus was supposed to be her first, not Ardyn. Still, the sex was amazing. It made her head whirl. Even though Ardyn was a total pain in the ass, she enjoyed her night. She would worry about making apologies later. When she looked back at Ardyn, he gave her a sweeping bow and a knowing smile. She managed to smile back at him, knowing they would never do that again.

It was time to get back to the real world now. She would marry Ravus and have his children to continue the Nox Fleuret bloodline. She would do her best to keep her lust in check if she ever came across Ardyn again. Just because she enjoyed his company didn't mean that she was in love with him, right? No, she would do her duty, just like she was requested to do. That was the life of a princess, anyway.


	2. An Inconvenient Marriage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the little tryst with Ardyn, Beth marries Ravus and they have to consummate it. Will it be awkward or extremely passionate?

Elizabeth felt extremely queasy. Today was the day she would be getting married to Ravus Nox Fleuret and she didn't even love him. What would she do now? She already blundered by having sex with Ardyn in the place gardens. She didn't want to marry Ravus. He was a great man to have intelligent conversations with, but she didn't love him. She only called him pet names by protocol. He knew she didn't love him and that was okay with both of them.

As the maid helped button up the dress, Beth stared at her reflection, noting that she did look very pretty. Her make-up was very subtle but still visible. Her pretty chestnut-colored hair was curled and tied up in a lovely bun with a few strands framing her face. She had a spritz of perfume applied to smell nice. She was ready but she didn't know what she was doing. Closing her eyes, she said a silent prayer to give her strength to walk down that aisle and marry Ravus.

"Milady, you're ready," said the maid softly after inspecting the hem of the gorgeous white gown. "Are you ready to marry Lord Ravus?"

There was no turning back now. "Yes," said Beth, hoping she didn't sound weak or pathetic. "I'm ready."

"I will alert your father, ma'am," said the maid, curtseying to Beth before leaving.

…

The wedding was a quiet affair. The only ones there were the bride and groom, the bride's father, Emperor Aldercapt, Ardyn, and Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, the groom's sister. After the vows were said and the rings were slid on, the bride and groom shared a gentle kiss to seal the deal. After that kiss happened, Princess Elizabeth Concordia became Princess Elizabeth Nox Fleuret. Now that she was married, she was eligible to become queen. That was the only reason she did marry Ravus, aside from producing heirs.

There wasn't a big, grand reception. There were food and drinks but no dancing or music. With the blessings of the priest, the couple went to Beth's bedchamber to consummate the marriage and hopefully get pregnant. No one followed them into her room. Thankfully, that practice was outdated so no one would be seeing Beth and Ravus have sex. Ravus took Beth's hand in his good one and helped her sit down on the bed. As soon as she sat down, Ravus began stripping off his white and black coat and his dark black and purple boots. As soon as his boots were off, he pulled his black pants off and removed his white undershirt.

Beth eyed Ravus's form carefully. She noticed that he had an incredibly powerful build and was muscular enough to make any woman swoon. She didn't know that he looked like underneath his jacket because he never dressed casually around her. She looked into his blue-and-brown eyes and gave him a reassuring smile. She knew he was a bit nervous because he didn't want to wound her with his Magitek arm. Sure, Ravus was cold but he was never cruel to her.

"It's okay, Ravus," she said in soothing tone, trying to calm him down.

"Elizabeth, I don't know what I could do to you with my arm," he said quietly, his tone still cool and collected.

"Let's test that theory," she said in a teasing way, smiling at him.

She may not have loved Ravus, but she couldn't deny that he was incredibly attractive. She would be a blind and stupid woman if she didn't know he was good-looking. Even with the Magitek, he looked very handsome. Now, it was her turn to take his breath away if she could. Standing up, Beth turned her back to Ravus and moved back towards him.

"Help me unbutton my dress, please," she said quietly, feeling suddenly shy.

With careful hands, Ravus unbuttoned her beautiful white dress and he noticed that it was off the shoulder, showing off her delicate shoulders. That meant she was wearing no bra underneath it. After undoing the final button, he pushed the dress down her body and his breath caught in his throat. He knew his wife was beautiful but he never knew she was this lovely. He noticed that her slim form was slightly shapely and her skin was as smooth and white as cream. He removed his glove and touched the soft skin with his fingertips.

"Elizabeth, you look stunning," he finally said, meaning what he said.

Beth blushed and bowed her head, looking as nervous as a virgin. She would have laughed because she wasn't a virgin yet here she was, trembling like one. Taking a deep breath, she turned around so Ravus could see her front. His gaze drifted from her eyes to her breasts. They were paler than the rest of her skin topped with pretty, pink nipples. They were also full and entrancing. Ravus had his dalliances but none of them were as beautiful as his new bride. His gaze drifted to her stomach and noticed it was flat and firm. Finally, his eyes drifted to her underwear and legs. Her legs were very long and smooth and her underwear was made to enhance any man's desire. They were made of the finest silk and as white as fresh fallen snow.

"You look like a goddess of desire," he finally said, his eyes meeting hers again. "A nymph waiting to be bedded." The bedroom timber of his voice made her shudder.

Plucking up her courage, she kicked off her heels and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss Ravus on the mouth. He wrapped his metal arm around her waist and stroked her face with his real hand. He returned the kiss eagerly, bruising her mouth with his own, and growled deep in his throat. He lifted her off the ground so they were even in height and their kiss deepened. He swiped her bottom lip with his tongue, asking for entrance, and she opened her mouth, allowing him inside. His tongue swiped the cavern of her mouth, tasting her unique flavor, and she moaned in desire.

"Ravus…" she panted, her chest heaving. "Please…"

He smirked at her begging and he gently placed her on the bed, resuming their heated kissing. His flesh hand trailed down her waist, over her abdomen, and in between her legs. He could feel that her underwear was soaked with arousal and it enflamed his desires. He gently pulled her panties down and broke off the kiss to look at her curls. Her womanhood was positively soaked and liquid began dripping onto the sheets of the bed.

"Lay back, Elizabeth," he ordered softly, coaxing her to lie down.

When she did, he finished pulling her panties down and tossed them over his shoulder, not caring where they landed. He lowered himself down until he was face to face with her dripping womanhood and forced her legs over his shoulders. Beth bit her bottom lip, looking nervous.

"What are you doing, Ravus?" she asked anxiously, feeling totally exposed.

"Repaying you for marrying me," he replied simply.

Before she could ask what that meant, she was cut off by his tongue licking at her heated entrance and a loud moan escaped her lips. At the sound of her moan, Ravus took that as an incentive and began devouring her from the inside out. His tongue brushed over that delicate area that made her jolt with pleasure and her back arched off the bed.

Ravus licked at her insistently and her legs tightened around his head, keeping him trapped at her entrance. He didn't seem to mind, though, because he kept at what he was doing. His tongue swiped over every inch of her womanhood, leaving no corner untouched. As he basically ate her, Beth began mewling and sobbing in pleasure. Tears of bliss ran down her cheeks and her back arched once again, releasing her musky liquids into his mouth. He licked it all up with gusto and made sure to swallow all of it. It was an unusual taste but it wasn't unpleasant.

He removed her limp legs off his shoulders and looked up at her. The sight before him was one he wanted to keep saved in his memory. Beth's face was bright red, her eyes were glazed over with lust, and her chest heaved with each breath she took. He wanted to take her right then and there, but he had to be patient. He pulled his boxers down and revealed his hardened member to her. Beth's eyes trailed over it and he noticed a hungry glint in her eye.

Before he could react, she flipped them over so he was laying on his back and she slithered down until she was face to face with his erection. She took the hardened member into her mouth and began sucking it like it was lollypop. As soon as she began sucking, she felt Ravus's form tense up and he let out a moan. Her tongue swiped at the sensitive part of his shaft and he thrusted into her mouth, unable to take it anymore. He put his hands on her head and slammed her head up and down, lost in the haze of desire.

Beth took it with stride, though. For her credit, she didn't gag. Instead, she began sucking even harder, determined to make him come into her mouth, and stroked his abdominals. Ravus could no longer take it. It wasn't long until he tensed up and released, squirting his hot load into her mouth. Beth eagerly swallowed it all up and smiled when she saw looked up at him.

His face was bright red and his heterochronic eyes were glazed over with lust. His bright blond hair was mussed from moving his head back and forth and his body was sagging in release. Noticing how tired he looked, Beth straddled his hips and slid down onto his member, gasping with pure joy as he stretched her with his girth. Using his chest as leverage, Beth began sliding up and down on him, riding him like she was riding a Chocobo. Her body quaked with pleasure and she moaned loudly at the feel of him stretching her in ways she was not familiar with.

"Elizabeth…" he breathed, placing his hands on her hips. "Shiva, you feel incredible. So tight, so warm…"

Beth smirked at his compliments and continued her spirited ride on him until he exploded inside of her with a loud groan. She milked his essence with pride and bent down to kiss him on the lips. As they kissed, Ravus rolled over so that he was once again on top of her and thrusted deeper into her. They both gasped at the sensations and their breaths came out as hot puffs. Beth wrapped her arms around Ravus's neck and had no choice but to hold on. However, she got tired of the soft love-making and wanted something more.

"Ravus…" she moaned shakily, gauging him. "Make me feel it. I want it hard and rough."

Ravus's eyes glowed with lust and that was all he needed to hear. Disregarding that his metal arm could hurt her, he grasped her by the hips and slammed into her, causing her to grunt. His touch on her was harsh and unforgiving but she didn't care. He kept hitting that special spot hidden inside of her and she felt like she was losing her mind. By Shiva, it felt incredible! She couldn't even remember her own name.

Suddenly, Ravus paused and Beth looked up at him with lust-filled eyes. Before she could ask, he got up on his knees and placed her leg over his shoulder, opening her up to him. He gripped her leg with his flesh hand and his metal limb stroked over her stomach, making her shudder. Once again, he began slamming into her, making her jolt with each thrust. She didn't know how long she would be able to do this. She could feel the pressure welling up in her stomach in response to him hitting that spot. Arching her back, she threw her head back and let out a loud moan, feeling her release wash over her. She tensed against him and dug her nails into the sheets, flooding his member with her release.

After she released, Ravus released her leg and it fell, boneless, against the mattress. Just as she was coming down from her high, Ravus pulled out of her and flipped her so she was on her hands and knees. Before she could complain to him about depriving her, he slammed into her, causing her body to fall forwards, and tightened his hold on her. He was fucking her like an animal. She never knew that behind Ravus's cool, collected demeanor there was beast that longed for control and desire.

"Ravus!" she screamed, gripping the sheets in a death grip. "Oh, please! Please!" All she could do was plead with him to end her suffering.

She felt his stomach on her back as he leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Please, what, dear?" his voice sounded menacing and seductive.

"Stop torturing me," she whimpered, her bottom lip trembling. "Put me out of my misery."

Ravus chuckled darkly, knowing he got her right where he wanted her, and responded in slamming into her in a chaotic way that ensured both of their releases. As he brushed that abused spot, he felt her muscles squeezing him and he couldn't hold it any longer. He dug his fingers into her hips and rutted up against her until he came into her. His form tensed and his release washed over him like a waterfall. When he came, it gave Beth the incentive to release too. Her body tensed up and she let out keening whimpers as her release drenched his member.

As soon as she was done, Ravus pulled out of her and rolled over onto his back, thoroughly exhausted. Beth let out a little groan as she, too, rolled over onto her back and laid down, trying to catch her breath. She was only dimly aware that Ravus's metal hand had left bruises on her skin. It wasn't abuse, though. He simply couldn't control himself. After all, bruises do fade.

"Ravus…" she whispered hoarsely, her throat raw from screaming, and she got his attention. "That was incredible."

The blond man smirked at her and replied by giving her a passionate kiss on the lips. She placed her hand on cheek and stroked some of the sweat off him. Too tired to act on those lustful urges, Ravus pulled back and laid back down. Beth smiled contently and rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Feeling exhausted, Beth closed her eyes and fell asleep with Ravus's heartbeat as her lullaby. Just as she drifted to sleep, Ravus kissed her hair and held her tightly, succumbing to weariness.

He didn't know how he felt about Beth but he knew this act of consummation only brought them closer. Even if he didn't love her, she was his queen and he would do anything for her. All he knew was that he needed her, in ways he didn't know about. They could talk about the rest later. For now, they were going to sleep and make the moment last.


	3. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Ravus and Luna's deaths, Beth goes to confront the man she knows is behind it all: Ardyn.

Elizabeth was out for blood. It wasn't long that after her sister-in-law died, her husband, and the father of her unborn child, Ravus died too. Not only that, but Noctis, now the king of Lucis, also disappeared, leaving Insomnia to the Empire's wiles. Beth was angry over everything that happened. She couldn't be the sovereign queen to her people because the Empire had the kingdom captured. Her sister-in-law was dead because of Leviathan. Ravus also died for betraying the Empire after his sister's death. Now, Noctis was missing and no one knew where he was.

Beth didn't love her husband but she was very fond of him and she cried when she heard he had died. Not only that, her father had finally passed from age, leaving his twenty-two year old daughter the sovereign queen of Concordia. She had to be strong for her people, who mourned the loss of the king greatly, but that strength turned into absolute fury. She didn't take it out on her people, but everyone around her could tell she was furious by the way things turned out.

There was only one person that she could blame for this. Ardyn Izunia, the slimy bastard that took her virginity and ruined everything for her. She had this feeling that he was the one truly pulling the strings for the Empire. Her father was right about him. Ardyn could not be trusted with anything. She hated him, detested him, and wanted to make him suffer, so she arranged a private meeting between her and him.

When Ardyn arrived in her room, he had the audacity to bow before her and make a move on her. He tried to stroke her thigh but she wasn't having any of it. She slapped his hand away and glared at him, looking every inch an intimidating queen. She sent the guards away because she wanted to deal with Ardyn herself.

"Ah, Queen Elizabeth," he purred after the guards left, "as lovely as ever. Congratulations on becoming queen, my dear girl." His voice was patronizing and it irritated the hell out of her.

"Chancellor Ardyn Izunia," she said coldly, giving him an angry look, "you know the reason of your visit, right?"

He smirked at her in a suggestive manner but it didn't faze her. "To have a roll in the bed for old time's sake," he replied impudently, causing her eyes to widen at his total disrespect.

Too shocked to speak, Beth approached Ardyn, raised her hand, and slapped him across the face, causing him to stagger a bit. He looked at her, bewildered, but then he smiled again, as if he was excited by her fire. Beth was surprised that he got to her like that. She usually had a better lid on her emotions.

"You bastard," she hissed, eyes glowing with rage. "You impudent son of a bitch!" With that, she launched herself at him and began pelting him with her fists.

Ardyn rolled his eyes at her attempt to harm him but he made no moves to stop her. "What am I in trouble for now, Beth?" he asked in a bored tone.

Beth's flaming eyes locked with his and she screamed at him. "You killed Luna!" Tears of fury gathered in her eyes. "You had my husband executed! You made Noctis disappear! It was all you, you slimy bastard! My father was so right about you! I made the mistake of trusting you but never again! If my kingdom wasn't under the Empire's thumb, I would have you executed in an instant!"

Ardyn raised his eyebrows at her yelling and he sighed, shaking his head. He was used to empty threats. "Oh, my dear Beth," he purred, stroking her face with the backs of his fingers. "Surely, you don't mean that."

"Of course I do!" she screamed in his face, tears finally rolling down her cheeks. "You are a murderer! I hate you!"

When she tried to attack him again, he got annoyed and pushed her to the ground, making her fall on her bottom with a grunt. She started getting up but Ardyn trapped her by straddling her hips and pressing his mouth to hers in a bruising, aggressive way. She tried to fight him off but he was a lot stronger than he was. She was a scrawny five foot four girl and he was a six foot five giant. He had her pinned and she couldn't fight him.

Beth shook her head to break the kiss. "Fuck you!" she screamed, tearing her head away from him. "I hate you!"

Ardyn merely sighed and lifted her up into his arms like she was nothing more than a child. She struggled with him but his arms were like iron bands keeping her detained. He unceremoniously tossed her on to her bed and pulled his jacket off, tossing it over his shoulder. Beth gave him a fearful wide-eyed look and he returned it with a sultry smirk.

"What are you doing?" she asked him, the fear evident in her tone.

"Wouldn't you like to take your anger out on someone?" he asked her in turn.

"That's why you're here," she replied dryly, giving him a glare. "So I can yell at you until I go blue in the face."

"That's not what I meant," he retorted, shaking his head slowly. "I can think of other ways to take out anger other than yelling."

Beth bit her bottom lip and shook her head, denying that she wanted anything to do with him. She knew that his idea of relieving anger was sex but she didn't want to do that. She wanted to stay angry with him and the Empire. However, she wanted to hurt him and that might had been a way to hurt him.

"Fine," she said coldly, getting off the bed and standing up. "Get undressed and lay down on the bed."

"Is this an order from the queen?" he asked, smirking widely.

She didn't smile at his teasing and her eyes seemed to harden. "Are you gonna do what I say or not, Izunia?" Her tone seemed to become even icier if that were possible.

Ardyn gave her a sweeping bow. "Your wish is my command, your majesty," he said in a theatric tone. With that, he pulled off his vests and fingerless gloves and let them fall to the floor.

He unbuttoned his white button up shirt and finally revealed his skin to her. Beth noticed that even at his age he still had a warrior's body. He was lean yet muscular and his chest was decorated with some red-purple down. He took his hat off and his hair seemed to glow in the sunlight. Finally, he removed his boots and pulled his pants down, revealing his girth to her. When he was fully nude, he laid down on her bed, waiting for what she would do.

Beth unzipped her dress and unclipped her bra, shrugging the outfit off her shoulders. She kicked her heels off and pulled her white panties down, revealing her brown curls to him. She stood over him, looking like a vengeful goddess, and straddled his hips. Her eyes burned with mingled lust and anger and she bent down to press a bruising kiss to his lips. His short, barely-there whiskers scratched her soft face but she didn't care. She wanted to punish him.

After kissing him roughly, Beth got off of him and bent down to take his hardened member into her mouth. She felt his body tense up and she sucked him very hard as if trying to suction his member off. Ardyn let out a loud groan and he ran his fingers through Beth's hair, holding her head down to his crotch. She began kissing and licking his erection, making his thighs start trembling. She had him on the palm of her hand and she wasn't going to let him off the hook.

"Love…" he whimpered, sounding very desperate. "Please, stop teasing me. Put me out of my misery."

Beth smirked and continued sucking him off until he dug his fingers into her hair and released his hot black cream into her warm mouth with a loud groan. She licked his release up and didn't miss a drop, not caring that it wasn't the usual color of semen. When she swallowed it down, she lifted her head and gazed at him. His eyes were glazed over with lust and he panted heavily.

"Have you learned you lesson yet?" she purred, giving him a testy look.

Ardyn had the audacity to smile and shake his head. "No," he replied jovially. "Teach me again, your highness."

Beth got up and straddled his hips, sliding on to his fully erect member. She placed her hands on his chest for leverage and began moving up and down on him. Ardyn tried to grab her but she was quicker than him and pinned his arms next to his head. Her movements picked up momentum and she bounced on him, her hips moving faster than his eyes could see. He couldn't help but be focused on her breasts, which jiggled with every move she made. If this was her way of punishing him, he hoped that he would get punished more often.

"Oh, my darling…" he moaned, throwing his head back. "That feels divine."

"This is supposed to be punishment," she said through her pleasured gasps. "You're not supposed to enjoy it."

"Forgive me for enjoying the feel of your tight pussy," he purred, giving her a mischievous look. He heard her let out a light moan when he spoke dirty to her. He decided to keep it going. "I love the feel of your tight muscles. You're so damned wet. I can feel you gushing around me, dearest. Feels so lovely, my darling girl."

His words took a toll on her and she seized against him, arching her back and crying out in rapture. Her inner muscles squeezed him as she drenched his member with her come. She pressed against his chest, bruising his breast bone with her hands, and let her head fall back, her hair tickling her bare back. Ardyn sighed with joy as he felt her juices drenching him. By the gods, she felt so good around him! This was the best sex they ever had. Forget the slow fucking, hard, raw sex was the best kind. It revealed feelings that people hid inside. What Ardyn saw was anger, hatred, passion, and lust. He loved those emotions affecting his lovely queen.

Seeing that she lost her strength, Ardyn flipped her so she was laying on her back and his body was covering hers. Instead of thrusting into her like she thought he would, he began kissing down her body, his lips brushing her breasts, ribs, stomach, and abdomen. He ran his hands up her ankles and stroked the soft skin of her thighs. Beth flinched because his touch tickled and he lowered his head so he was face to face with her glistening curls. He had been wanting to taste her for a long time and now he was going to.

His tongue came out and he experimentally flicked her entrance. A sharp cry came from Beth and her back arched off the bed. She dug her fingers into the sheets and her thighs tightened around his head. His tongue kept flicking and tasting that sensitive bundle of nerves that continued secreting delicious nectar. As her liquids drenched his chin, he did the best he could taste all of her. Using two fingers, he opened up her pretty petals and began licking and suckling the delicate muscles that tightened around his tongue.

"Oh!" she cried, digging her hand into his hair and mussing it. "Ardyn! Please!"

He was amused that the victor had become the victim in one fell swoop. However, he continued licking and suckling at her with the intent of bringing her over the edge. He smothered her bud with his tongue and lips and she let out cries of pleasure and desperation. She bucked against his lips and her legs tensed around his head. Her head flew back and her back arched as she finally came into his mouth. He licked up all of her juices with gusto and swallowed them with a smirk on his face.

"My, my, my queen," he purred after he gobbled down her juices. "You taste lovely."

"Shut…up…" she panted, trying to catch her breath after that incredible eating out. "I will…kill you." She didn't sound convicted in her words, though.

"Oh, shhh," he murmured, putting a finger to her lips to make her fall silent. "You don't mean that."

"Yes, I do," she sounded a bit drunk from the sexual interlude. "One day, I will kill you."

He gave her another infuriating smirk and tapped her on the tip of her nose in a reproving way. "That's not very nice, my dear," he tutted, sounding very much like a scolding parent. "It hurts my feelings to hear you say that." He actually sounded hurt but Beth knew better. She knew he was faking it.

"Oh, don't give me that," she growled, giving him a cutting look. "I've known you long enough to know you don't get your feelings hurt that easily."

Ardyn pouted his lower lip but then he smirked, knowing that she saw through him. "You can always see right through me, my love," he said, bestowing a kiss on her head. "Now, let's stop talking and continue our romp in the sheets."

Beth's eyes narrowed but she spread her legs anyways, opening herself up to him. "Fine then," she replied coolly. "Go ahead. Do your worst."

"Oh, I intend to," he purred, eyes glowing mischievously as he bent down to kiss her on the lips.

As they kissed, Ardyn multi-tasked by sliding into her and conquering her lips with his. If Beth wasn't so distracted by the fact that he felt so good inside of her, she would have sworn he intended to bruise her lips. Not only was he rough with the kissing, but he nipped her bottom lip, causing her to gasp, and he slid his tongue in, marking his territory in her mouth. Beth dug her fingers into his back, trying to break the skin with her nails. He didn't seem to mind her being rough with him. On the contrary, he enjoyed it.

"You feel so wonderful, Elizabeth," he murmured against her lips, thrusting roughly into her. "I wish to stay right here all the time."

"Shut…up…" she gasped out between pleasured moans, gripping the sheets underneath her.

Ardyn smiled at her predictable response and gave her one last kiss on the lips before letting his lips trail down her jawbone and neck. When he reached her neck, he began kissing and suckling the sensitive skin in hopes of giving her a hickey. Pained moans came from Beth as he began biting into the alabaster skin and leaving red welts on her neck. He didn't seem to care about her pain, only that he was marking her.

"You are mine," he said when he pulled back to admire his work. "You will belong to me forever."

"I belong…to no one," hissed Beth, giving him a hateful look.

"We'll see," was his response and he continued thrusting into her.

No more words needed to be said. Beth let out hoarse, desperate moan and she dug her fingers into his back again. She wrapped her legs around his waist, giving him more access to her cervix, and ran her hands through his tousled red-violet hair. Ardyn began kissing her neck again, but not to leave marks this time. Instead of leaving hickeys, he left red rashes from his whiskers scraping her skin. They both gasped in pleasure and their eyes met, seeing the passion in each other's gaze. Ardyn ran his hands down Beth's back, feeling the curvature of her spine, and stroked her thighs, making her shudder in delight.

Moans and groans became a duet and their passions intensified when their heart rates skyrocketed. Beth threw her head back against the pillow and tensed up around his erection, releasing her feminine juices on his member. Ardyn arched against her and he rutted into her until he released his dark seed into her. After he released into her, he pulled out and laid down on his back, feeling spent yet satisfied.

It had been a while since he and Beth had a romp in the sheets. When she got married to Ravus, Beth wouldn't see Ardyn anymore for sex. He supposed she was just being a dutiful wife and that entailed not cheating on her husband. He wondered if she ever told Ravus that it was he himself who claimed her virginity.

"So, tell me, my queen," breathed Ardyn, getting the woman's attention, "did you ever tell your dear husband that it was I who claimed your maidenhead?"

Beth's tired eyes glowed with newfound anger. "No, I didn't," she hissed, turning on her side to face him. "Quite frankly, he didn't need to know. Why do you ask?"

"I'm simply curious," remarked Ardyn, chuckling, stroking her tangled hair. "I thought you would at least share it with him."

"I told him I was with someone," she admitted after some deliberation, "but I never said it was with you. He didn't like you and I didn't want to give him a reason to hate me."

"I see that for all of his attentions, he has not made you pregnant," the man mused, giving her a serious look.

"Shows how little you know," said Beth snidely. "I'm two months along."

That was news to Ardyn. "Oh, congratulations," he said, sounding like he meant it. "At least you'll have something to remember him by."

"That's almost nice of you to say, Ardyn," said Beth, looking a bit surprised.

"Of course," said Ardyn, placing a hand on her stomach. "It is quite arousing to think of you plump with child."

And just there it was. Beth shook her head in annoyance. "No," she said bluntly. "This is the last time, Ardyn. We are not doing this again."

"That's what you said last time, and here we are." He always had to have the last word. "Besides, the child will need a father in its life."

"And it won't be you," retorted Beth, eyes narrowing. "I wouldn't trust you to look after a goldfish, let alone my child."

"Oh, ye of little faith," he purred, running a hand through her caramel-colored hair.

"I'm done arguing with you, Ardyn," sighed Beth, feeling her weariness consuming her. "I wish to go to sleep."

"Very well," said the red-haired man, bending to pull the covers over them. "Sweet dreams, my queen."

Beth let out a hum of acknowledgement and fell asleep listening to the steady drum of Ardyn's heart. Ardyn felt her snuggle up to him like he was a big teddy bear and he wrapped his arms around her to keep her warm. A gentle smile spread across his face when he saw how peaceful she looked in slumber. Though she was young, she started to get worry lines because of the stress of running a kingdom. He wasn't vain when it came to women but it was a little disconcerting to see a young woman, such as her, getting those lines to early in life.

He stopped his train of thought when he realized there was something wrong here. Why was he worrying about her? He had his revenge to exact, yet he was worrying about a twenty-two year old slip of a girl. What did it mean? Why was he experiencing these feelings? Was he in love with her? He definitely cared for her and he liked seeing her happy. He enjoyed arguing with her. Honestly, he never had such fun arguing with someone his whole life, other than Noctis, but Noctis was an enemy. He wasn't ashamed to admit he thought she was beautiful and that her intelligence and drive were very desirable. That had to mean one thing.

"Oh, no," he murmured, talking to relatively no one. "I think I've fallen in love."

However, he didn't want to think about it too much right now. Resting his head back on the pillow, he fell asleep, listening to the sound of Beth's soft breathing, with a smile on his face. He wasn't sure if this was love but he knew it was close enough.


	4. Dreams of What Could Have Been

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beth dreams of what could have been and promises to enact vengeance on the man who ruined Eos--Ardyn Izunia, her foe and lover.

Queen Elizabeth fell asleep after a long and laborious birth. She had twins, a boy and a girl, and they were with the nursemaid so she could sleep. During labor, Beth cried out for Ravus, wishing he had been there to hold her hand and encouraging her throughout the process. There was no more sunlight after the prince disappeared and the oracle died. There was no one to protect Eos now. Ardyn took over the crown city of Insomnia and lived there as if he was king. A few days earlier, Beth received a letter from Ardyn saying that he would come after the babies were born and she dreaded that. She didn’t want that man around her children. If only Ravus had been there. As she fell asleep, she began to dream. 

…

Beth and Ravus were awoken by their two children jumping on their bed. She curled up next to Ravus and buried her head into his chest, mumbling incoherent words. Ravus wrapped his arms around her and pretended to go back to sleep. But the children were relentless and wouldn’t stop jumping on their parents. Beth opened her eyes and sat up, embracing her babies. 

Princess Freya was a beautiful little girl with bright blonde hair and light brown eyes. She had her father and mother’s pale skin and a very jolly attitude. She loved the color pink and wearing pretty dresses. She also loved music and reading books about fairytales. She was the apple of her mother’s eye and was the more cheerful of the twins. She was her daddy’s little princess and he would always protect her. 

Prince Ravus II was a handsome little boy with ash-blonde hair and had his father’s heterochromatic eyes. He had his father’s pale skin and sharp facial features but he smiled more than his father did. He loved playing sword fight with his father and riding Chocobos. He also enjoyed reading about ancient warriors fighting Behemoths and the history of Eos. Solheim was something that particularly interested him. He was the more serious of the twins but he was happy. He was his mother and father’s pride and they loved him. 

“Mama, Papa, wake up,” said Freya in her cute, accented little voice. “I wanna go see Aunt Luna and Uncle Noct.” 

Ravus moaned and rubbed his eyes, gazing at his children and wife. “Do we have to see the annoying prince?” he mumbled to Beth, making her smile. 

“He is the king now, love,” remarked Beth, stroking his tousled blonde hair. 

“He’ll always be the annoying prince,” said Ravus resolutely. “What does Lunafreya see in him?” 

It took all of Beth’s self-control to not laugh out loud. “Come on now, Ravus,” she said, kissing him on the cheek. “If you do this, I will reward you later.” She said those words in a lowered tone that presented itself as a challenge to Ravus. 

“Really?” he asked, giving her a sly look. “What reward did you have in mind, dear?”

Beth smirked and waggled her eyebrows suggestively. “I can’t say it in front of the munchkins,” she answered in a sultry voice. 

“I look forward to it, love,” said Ravus, giving her a kiss on the lips. “I’m going to take a shower. I’ll hold you to word, darling. Do we have an accord?” He offered his flesh hand to her and she shook it, her smirk turning into a teasing grin. 

“Very well,” she replied after shaking his hand. “I accept.” 

Ravus gave her a smile and got up to take a shower, leaving the kids with his wife. As soon as Ravus disappeared into the bathroom, Ravus II and Freya crawled under the covers on the vacant side where their father was and snuggled up to their mother. Beth smiled, feeling more joy than she could express. She had her kingdom, her husband, and her children. The Empire was gone and freedom reigned supreme. Ravus and Beth ruled as sovereign king and queen, bringing their kingdoms together, and nothing could break the peace that existed throughout the land. 

… 

“Milady,” said the soft voice of Beth’s maid, and the queen awoke to dimmed light from the lamps in the room. 

“What is it, Jan?” Beth asked in a weary tone, fixing her eyes on the slight form of the maid. 

“The Chancellor of Nifleheim is here,” she replied, bowing her brown head. “Shall I show him in?” 

Beth sighed and nodded once, giving Jan permission to show him in. The maid opened the door and in walked the Chancellor of Niflheim himself, waving at Beth in a dramatic way. He was smiling at the sight of the queen in bed, who stared back at him in a weary yet irritated fashion. What did he want? 

“Chancellor Izunia,” she said in a raspy tone, her throat dry from sleep and shouting during childbirth. “To what do I owe this pleasure?” 

“I came to see the child,” he replied, sitting down at her bedside. 

“Children,” she corrected him, settling back on her pillows. “I had twins, a boy and a girl. The boy is named Ravus and the girl is named Freya.” 

“May I see them?” he asked her sweetly, taking one of her hands in his. “It would give me the utmost pleasure to meet your lovely little ones.” 

“Very well,” said Beth, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach. “Jan, can you bring the children in here, please?” 

The maid bowed to Beth and Ardyn and left the room to retrieve the children. That left the queen alone with the madman who murdered Luna and Ravus and made Noctis disappear. Beth was unable to fight him because she was still recovering from her delivery. She was only strong enough to give Ardyn a deadly glare that told him he better not do anything funny or she would kill him when she got the chance. 

“So, how is my lovely queen?” he asked gently, stroking back some hair from her forehead. 

“Tired and sore,” she answered honestly, actually liking how his touch felt on her forehead. It felt a bit soothing and did nice things for her headache.

“I can imagine,” he cooed, stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers and feeling the softness of her skin. “You had two children.” 

Beth gave him a tired look and tears burned her eyes, threatening to spill over. “Why did you do this to the world?” she asked softly. “You left this type of world for my children. Why did you do it?” 

“In order to exact my revenge,” replied Ardyn in a slightly poisonous tone, “I have to do this.” 

“Is that all that matters to you?” demanded Beth, giving him a glare of disbelief. “Your precious revenge? Your precious revenge has destroyed everyone. Other towns have been destroyed by daemons. People are sick and dying. All thanks to you, I might add.” 

Ardyn smirked. There was the Beth he knew and loved. She might have been recovering from her childbirth but she was as argumentative as ever. “You’re welcome,” he said in a patronizing tone. 

“I’m not even thanking you, you bastard,” she growled, fisting one of her hands. 

“You have no idea how wrong you are about my lineage,” he purred, pressing a kiss to her forehead. 

A vein jumped in Beth’s forehead as she restrained herself from slapping him. Before she could say anything witty, Jan walked in with the twins, who looked like they just woke up. The anger melted from Beth and she smiled at them, holding her arms out for them. The smiling maid placed the children in her arms, one for each arm, gave another curtsy, and walked out of the room. 

Ardyn gazed at the children in an almost loving way and he reached out to touch Freya with a gentle finger. “Hello, beautiful children,” he cooed, his amber eyes soft with love. “I’m your Uncle Ardyn.” 

“In what world will you ever be their uncle?” asked Beth dryly, arching an eyebrow at him. 

“Oh,” tsked Ardyn, giving her a pouting look. “That’s not nice to say, Beth. Don’t listen to the mean lady,” he now spoke to the babies. “I am your uncle.” 

Beth rolled her eyes and decided to let this one go. She’d argue with him when she was feeling better. Right now, she just wanted her little ones. She was certain that they were the only people she loved. She knew that she didn’t need any more romance as long as she had her babies. They were the two purest things in her life and she determined to live for them. 

“You’re radiant,” whispered Ardyn, and she realized he was talking to her. 

She looked up at him and saw love and tenderness in his eyes, a look that made her uncomfortable. Flushing, she looked back down at the babies and saw them stir in their sleep. A little coo came from Freya and Beth’s heart swelled with love. Her beautiful, beautiful children were gifts from the gods. Maybe they were Ravus’s gift of love to her. Maybe Ravus did love her but she didn’t know it. She certainly felt affection for him when he was alive. When he smiled, which was not often, it made her feel warm and happy, just like how she felt right now staring down at her children. 

They’re so beautiful, Ravus, she thought, touching baby Ravus with a gentle finger. You should be here with them.

A tear escaped from Beth’s eye and ran down her cheek, feeling the pain of Ravus’s death in her heart. He would have been so happy to know that he had children. He would have loved them very much. The pain was poignant but she didn’t want to show Ardyn that. 

“My dear, are you crying?” Ardyn’s voice was soft, but she didn’t believe that he was actually feeling pity for her. 

“You wanted me for yourself, didn’t you?” she asked back, her voice full of pain and spite. “You didn’t kill Ravus on a whim. You wanted me for yourself and you knew that as long as Ravus lived, you couldn’t have me.” She looked up and gave Ardyn a look that was as chilly as the Glacian. “It’s true, isn’t it?” 

Ardyn’s eyes seemed to glow and it made her heart stutter in fear. “Yes, I did,” he replied in a predatory voice that frightened her. “Ravus didn’t deserve a beautiful bounty such as you. He didn’t love you like I could. You should have been mine from the start.” 

More tears spilled from Beth’s eyes and her jaw quivered with fury. “You bastard,” she hissed, holding on to her children tightly. “You destroyed my life and everyone else’s and you have to gall to say that. Ravus was my husband and while I didn’t love him, I was a faithful and loyal wife to him. We were happy. We could have been happier in the life that could have been, but you ruined it. I want you to leave, Ardyn. I want you to leave and never come back. You will not sully my kingdom with your presence anymore.” Even with her tears, she looked every bit the intimidating queen.

He gave her a patronizing look that enraged her even more. “Surely, you don’t mean that, Beth,” he purred, having the nerve to stroke her cheek with the backs of his fingers.

“What makes you think I don’t?” she demanded through clenched teeth. 

“You care about me too much to get rid of me,” he told her in a poisonously sweet tone. “No one knows your body like I do. It’s a right shame Ravus didn’t know that I claimed that beautiful status of virginity from you.” 

“You go too far, Chancellor,” she said coldly, pulling away from him to keep her children out of his reach. “I request you leave.” 

Ardyn’s eyes glowed in a way that made her shudder. She didn’t like the hungry look he gave her. It made her feel unclean. He needed to leave now before she made him leave. 

“Very well, Your Majesty,” he said finally, giving her a mocking bow. “I will see you later.” That sounded like a promise, not a way of saying goodbye. With that, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room, leaving the queen with her newborns. 

A tear ran down Beth’s cheek and she held her children close. “Don’t worry, my darlings,” she whispered, not trusting her voice. “I will not let him hurt you.” 

Beth glared at the door Ardyn went out from and mentally promised the same for her people. No matter what would happen, she would never let the Empire get their grubby hands on her kingdom. If four boys from Insomnia could do it, so could she. King Noctis gave her the hope that she and other rulers could fight back and vanquish the Niflheim threat forever. For her children, she would do anything for them to live in a world of light and peace, even if that meant dying. For now, she had to continue whoring herself to Ardyn to keep her people safe. Using her body and feminine wiles, she could fight Ardyn in the shadows and he wouldn’t even know it. The Concordian motto was Peace and Harmony, but she would come up with her own motto. Covert and Patient would be her new motto and she would use those traits to fight Ardyn and bring down the Empire. She just had to wait until she was well again until she could strike back. That bastard would be sorry he ever met her, that was her promise. Nothing would stop her from exacting justice on him. Not one thing. 

Prepare yourself, Ardyn Izunia, she thought as the maids took the babies away so she could rest. I may be down but not for long. I will destroy you if it’s the last thing I do. 

With that promise made, she drifted off to sleep and dreamt of a world of peace and harmony from the Empire—a world she was determined to create, along with her fellow rulers. It would be a long fight but it would be worth it to see the light again. They would see it again. Whatever it took, anything to protect their kingdoms and world.


	5. Ghosts of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Ardyn and Beth use each other during the ten years of darkness, Ardyn is plagued by dreams and memories of a past he wanted to forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry. That is all.

During the ten years of darkness, Beth sought out Ardyn and had him in her bed, again and again. In the depths of her heart, she felt utter shame for having him in her bed because he was a bastard. He was the reason everyone suffered in this world and yet here she was inviting him in her bed. Whenever she thought of her children, she felt even worse. How could she betray them by taking him in her bed? She knew she was doing what she had to do, but that didn’t mean she liked it. Sex with Ardyn was always intense and she enjoyed it in the moment, but nothing prepared her for the guilt afterward. 

“I must say,” said Ardyn, not betraying his exertion from the last session of sex, “I always enjoy when you seek me out. Nothing is better than having your beautiful body against mine.”

Beth said nothing but gazed at the wall, ignoring him wrapping his arms around her and pressing his chest up against her back. Hesitantly, she reached out and touched one of his arms. Even though she hated his guts, she felt so warm and safe right now. She had to do what she needed to do. Turning in his arms, she faced him, placed her hand on the back of his head, and brought his lips down to meet hers. Ardyn returned the kiss enthusiastically and rolled so his body hovered over hers. 

“Ardyn…” she gasped against his lips, running her fingers through his wine-colored hair. 

The man smiled against her lips and continued kissing her voraciously, his hardened member finding its way back into her strangling heat. A soft moan came from her and her grip on his hair tightened, opening her legs to accommodate his member. She wrapped herself around him and surged every time he thrusted into her. She kept her eyes on his, watching his golden ones darken with lust, and gasped out upon feeling him hit that special spot within. 

“Oh…” she moaned out, gripping his hair in a stranglehold. “Ardyn…Oh, gods…” 

He smirked at her when he heard her words. “The gods are not the ones doing this to you,” he replied, changing the angle of his thrust so his member would brush against those nerves. “Tell me what you need, my angel.” 

“Fuck me, you bastard,” she hissed, gazing at him with hate-filled eyes. “I need hard and rough.” 

Ardyn looked far too pleased with that answer. “Of course, my lady,” he said in a voice as smooth as wine. “You need only ask.” 

Before she could verbally degrade him, he slammed into her and started a rhythm of hard and fast. Cries of need and satisfaction came from her open mouth and her legs tightened around his waist. She wrapped herself around him and began trailing kisses down his neck and shoulder. Even in bed he was larger than her. His arms and shoulders caged her in and kept her in a warm embrace. His naughty hands ran down her back and over her buttocks, giving one firm cheek a whack. Upon feeling the hit, she let out a scandalized squeak and his smirk widened. 

“Asshole…” she gasped out, glaring at him with what she hoped a terrifying expression.

“Wench,” he returned, not sounding the least bit insulted by the name she called him. If anything, he sounded amused. 

“Mmm…I hate you…” she moaned, digging her nails into his back. 

“I know,” he replied in that infuriatingly sexy voice of his. Of course he knew that she hated him, but he still fucked her within an inch of her life. She was his favorite toy. 

Beth’s train of thought was lost when his long, thick member brushed that sensitive spot of hers. She began sputtering and stammering as her brain started to fry. For whatever reason, whenever Ardyn did this to her, she would become a stupid mess. She couldn’t think of anything smart and her vocabulary was very limited. She could only say his name and beg him to go faster. He did it on purpose, she knew. He knew her body than she knew it. He knew what areas that would make her surge with pleasure. 

“My sweet little whore,” he purred seductively, running a hand through her hair as he continued his rough thrusts into her. 

She hated when he called her that because how true it was. She was supposed to be a good queen and mother, but here she was keening over him like a common prostitute. Even when she was married, she was his whore, and she very much regretted it. She felt so much guilt for the fact that she betrayed her husband. She didn’t love him, but she cared for and respected him. He didn’t deserve an adulterous whore like her. 

Suddenly, her brain was wiped clean of any regret when he slammed into that spot once more and shockwaves of pleasure went through her body. She clung to him as she rode out the intense orgasm he gave her and could feel her blood running hot through her veins. Her heart pounded erratically and her mind was a mush. She couldn’t think of anything except for the fact that he was fucking her so intensely. She knew she was moaning loudly because her throat was sore. Her nails dug into his back, not unlike a cat’s claws, and she threw her head back. 

In the midst of her high, Ardyn released into her with a loud, satisfied groan. The seed that escaped dribbled black down her thigh and onto her fitted sheet. He moaned deliciously as he arched and clutched her close. A smile spread across his face as the sweet euphoria filled his senses and clouded his judgment. As his high began to recede, he slowed his thrust to a stop to keep his seed inside of her before he pulled out and let it leak onto the sheet. Beth let out an uncomfortable moan and settled back on the mattress, feeling completely satisfied. She fell asleep and tried to forget she was laying in Ardyn’s arms, not Ravus’s.

As Ardyn watched his queen-lover sleep, he began remembering things of the past, things he repressed to focus on his vengeance. Many, many years ago, he had another lover known as Elizabeth, whom he affectionately referred to as Betsy or Eliza. She was beautiful, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had hair the color of gold, ivory skin, and bright green eyes. Her face was always kind and loving. She was sweet and virginal. Only he, he remembered with a smile, knew the beautiful body that hid under her dresses. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to dream.

…

“Ardyn,” said a voice as soft as a summer breeze, rousing him from his nap. “Ardyn.” This time, there was a hand on his chest, shaking him gently. 

The man with wine-colored hair opened his eyes and saw a lovely woman bending over him. The sunlight in her golden hair made it glow and it made her look like an angel. She smiled when she saw that he was awake and bent down to kiss his lips. Before she could pull away from it, Ardyn placed his hands on either sides of her face and pulled her closer, making her squeak in surprise. Her body fell on top of his and he could feel every curve and edge of it. Her bountiful bosom was pressed into his chest and he could feel her heart beating erratically. 

After a few minutes of kissing her like that, he pulled back with a smile. “That’s more like it,” he said softly, stroking her face with loving hand. “Beautiful angel. The Astrals have seen fit to give me a beautiful angel.” 

Eliza’s face filled with heat and she tried to keep herself from looking bashful. “Oh, stop it,” she reproved lightly, tapping him on the chest. “I’m nothing to your status and greatness, Your Majesty. I’m but a mere girl.” 

Ardyn rolled his eyes at the sound of his title coming from her. “Please, don’t call me that, love,” he sighed, shaking his head slightly. “I am more than my title. I am a man, who loves this woman very much. All of it—the healing, the traveling, the heroism—is you. You are my reason that I do what I do. You mean everything to me, my love, my own darling Betsy.” 

She still felt uncertainty. “What about your duty to marry a princess, my prince?” she asked formally, which was ironic considering that she was laying on top of him in an inappropriate manner. “You will need to sire heirs and make the next king.” 

He rolled his eyes once more, making a childish scoff as he did so. “Somnus can sire the next generation,” he remarked, regarding his ambitious but noble little brother. “You know he finds you to be a handsome woman. He even remarked that you would be a perfect queen. You have grace and poise, my love.” 

Now, it was Eliza’s turn to roll her eyes. “Please,” she snorted, shaking her head, “I only have that because my parents drilled it into me at a young age. I think they were training me to be a queen. In many families, it is cut-throat. Many families will dangle their daughters in front of nobles and royalty, so those daughters will become strumpets and therefore provide the family with class and wealth, at the cost of the woman’s maidenhead and virtue. That was why I wanted nothing to do with you, my beloved Ardyn.” She gave him a soft smile, but he still felt disgust at her words because they were true. 

He knew that families dangled their beautiful daughters at the lords and nobles of the kingdom to get wealth and power. His own brother indulged in such things. He currently had a mistress that remained unnamed because Ardyn openly disapproved of such practices. It was one thing to have a lover, like what Ardyn had, but quite another to flagrantly advertise something little short of a legalized prostitution ring. His own father turned a blind eye to the whole affair. Ardyn even suspected his father had a mistress based on his lax attitude towards it. 

“Ardyn,” came Eliza’s voice again, attracting his attention. “You’re off somewhere. Where are you?” 

“In a world that is replacing chivalry with perversity,” he replied dully, a melancholy expression on his face. “You are right, love. Things need to change. For future generations, we need to change the way the kingdom is run. I can’t fault a man for having a woman as his romantic partner. That would make me a hypocrite. But, my issue is married men having mistresses. They spit on their vows they made to their wives and the women are expected to turn a blind eye. That has to change.” 

Eliza gave him a soft smile and pressed a kiss to his lips, running her fingers through his hair. “You never did like the court being made a mockery,” she said quietly, stroking his face with a loving touch. I, too, wish to see a change. Legally, men and women need to be treated the same. While we differ mentally and physically, we need legal equality. When a woman’s husband dies, the land goes to his next male member, like his son or brother. That needs to change. A widowed woman should be able to keep her late husband’s land and money. Only when she dies, should the land go to the next male member.” 

Ardyn smiled at his beloved in a fond manner. “My queen-to-be is already forming decrees and laws, I see,” he said teasingly, which was rewarded with a playful smack on the shoulder. “I do agree with you, Betsy. Men and women should be held equal in the law. For example, if a woman does the same crime as a man, she should be punished as a man is. I know it sounds awful for me to say so, but I’ve seen female criminals get lessened or no sentences at all because of their gender.” 

Eliza nodded grimly. “It’s horrible to see,” she remarked, thinking back. “I remember hearing about a woman dismember her husband and she was given a light sentence. I know that if a man assaulted his wife like that, he would have been given a lengthy sentence or death. In order to be just, we have to be fair. Contrary to popular belief, women aren’t weak. They are just as capable of being as horrible as any man.” 

Ardyn agreed wholeheartedly. “I know that for a fact,” he said softly. “I remember hearing women speak horrible things about other women. They still do when it comes to you, Betsy. I’ve overheard some noblewomen call you vulgar names. They insulted you and your mother for being what they are. They called you a social climbing prostitute, even though they do that to their own daughters. It made my blood boil to hear them talk about you like that.” 

“Let them talk,” she whispered lovingly, smiling at him. “I don’t care what they say. I love you. Prince or not, I love you more than anything. You mean more to me than a title, Ardyn. I truly, genuinely love you.” 

“And I love you,” he replied, kissing her on the lips with passion. 

He rolled them so she was laying on her back and they proceeded to indulge themselves for a few hours, away from the prying eyes and ears of everyone. For Eliza, nothing existed except Ardyn. This was their own little world and no one would intrude on it.

…

It was the night of the summer solstice ball. Ardyn watched as Somnus and Gilgamesh dance with some noblewomen and noticed that Eliza stuck in the corner and sat a considerable distance from the other women her age. Then, he saw that the other women were making quiet comments and pointed at her when they thought she wasn’t looking (or they knew she was looking and didn’t care). He wanted to go over to her and comfort her, but he had to stand by his father because he was the eldest and first in line. 

“Ardyn, are you listening?” asked his father, Reginald, peering over to his eldest son. 

“What was that?” Ardyn gave his father a confused look. “I apologize, Father. I was preoccupied. What were you saying?” 

Reginald sighed before talking. “It is high time that you married a noblewoman,” he said patiently. “I was thinking Rosa would be a suitable wife.” 

Ardyn knew who that was. She was a woman with dark blonde hair, blue eyes, and large bosoms. She was also one of the women who insulted and degraded Eliza for being the one Ardyn loved. They had the audacity to accuse Eliza of being a whore when they were opening their legs to every young noble who showed interest. The mere thought made Ardyn make a face of displeasure. 

“I’d rather not, Father,” he replied coldly. “Her pretty looks belie a dark heart.” 

“Well, you can’t not get married, my son,” said Reginald, sounding and looking thoroughly annoyed. “You have to sire children to carry on your name. You are named the king of Lucis.” 

“I’d rather marry Elizabeth Tyrell,” said Ardyn, nodding over to his solitary lover in the corner. “She is my soulmate and lover, Father. I’ve promised to marry her.” 

Reginald’s face went as red as his hair. “You cannot make that promise,” he hissed, his face tight with anger. “She is of low birth. You have to marry for a good alliance. This Elizabeth Tyrell is not going to be your bride. Not while I’m alive.” 

Ardyn clenched his jaw as he tried to keep his anger dormant. “She is my choice, Father,” he replied icily, his golden eyes glowing with rage. “I don’t care if you don’t approve. She is my queen of choice.” Without so much of an “excuse me”, Ardyn walked away from his father and went to collect his lover. 

Eliza didn’t seem to notice him until he spoke up. “Boring party, isn’t it?” he remarked, standing right next to her with a smile. 

She lit up when she saw him. “Yeah,” she said, nodding. “I’d rather be in the library.” 

“As do I,” agreed Ardyn, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “Perhaps we can go there after this party is done.” 

Eliza made a murmur of confirmation and the two fell silent until he decided to speak up again. 

“Would you like to dance, my lady?” he asked in a playfully formal tone, bowing to her. 

“I would be honored, kind sir,” she replied in an equally playful tone as she curtsied. 

Giggling, the pair went to the dance floor and danced like they were the only ones left on Eos. 

…

Some years later, Ardyn married Eliza and ascended to the throne, but the joy was cut short. He went to the Crystal to be coronated and to win approval of the Astrals. Fate was a cruel mistress. He was cast off as “unclean” and denied by the Crystal. Eliza didn’t know until they were married that he was absorbing daemons into him when he healed people. That was why the Astrals and Crystal saw him as unclean, and it utterly destroyed him. 

Eliza promised to love him unconditionally and to stand by him always. Somnus promised to protect the couple and keep Ardyn from the harmful public. Before Ardyn became imbued with daemons, the couple managed to get pregnant and everything seemed to be going great until it wasn’t. After Eliza, now eight months pregnant, came in from weeding the garden, she saw her husband standing near the door when she walked in and he didn’t look happy. Did a bird poop on him again? She didn’t see any telltale signs. She gave him a smile and a kiss on the cheek, placing a hand on her stomach.

“Hello, love,” she said cheerfully, despite his stormy expression. “Is something wrong?” 

“You’ve been bedding my brother, haven’t you?” he accused in voice as soft as it was lethal. 

The accusation filled her with shock. “Oh, gods, no,” she denied quickly. “I love you and only you and Somnus is married. Even if I wasn’t married to you, I wouldn’t bed Somnus. I don’t see him that way. Why are you accusing me of this?” Her voice was surprisingly steady because her husband was suspicious of everything lately. She was used to him being like that, but she was not used to him accusing her. 

“You don’t think I know?” he hissed, pushing her into the wall and pinning her. “I’ve seen the way you look at him. You’re both spreading lies and demonizing me, aren’t you, you little bitch?” 

Eliza tried to wrestle free from his grip but he was too strong. The panic began to set in and she could feel the baby inside of her jerk around in fear. “Ardyn, let go of me,” she said firmly, giving him a glare. “I am not guilty of any of those accusations. Let go of me this instant!” The panic started to show in her voice. “I am your wife, your lover! I would never betray you! I promised to stand by you! I promised to love and cherish you and I haven’t broken any of those vows! I never, ever have betrayed you! When you traveled around the world to heal people, I waited for you! I kept all the letters you wrote me and I cherish them! How could you say I betrayed you!?” 

Ardyn wrapped a hand around her throat, cutting off her air flow, and squeezed until her face began to get purple. Tears ran down her cheeks when she saw the utter hatred and contempt on his face. Just as her vision began to blur, she heard someone yell. 

“Ardyn, what are you doing!?” She recognized the voice as Somnus’s and remembered he and his wife were coming over to join them for dinner. 

Suddenly, the grip on her throat loosened until she fell to her knees, clutching her chest and coughing. She felt an arm around her waist and looked to see Gilgamesh pulling her out of Ardyn’s reach. As her vision cleared and her breathing became steady, she saw that Somnus summoned his sword and held it aloft in a warning manner. Somnus’s wife, Aurora, ran over to Eliza and helped her up, wrapping the woman in a protective hug. The tears that Eliza tried to keep back fell with abandon and she wept into her sister-in-law’s shoulder, staining the woman’s dress. The baby began to calm down and the movements inside of her became less erratic. 

“You are all against me!” shouted Ardyn, making Eliza shudder in fear. “You’ve turned my wife against me!” 

When Eliza looked up from Aurora’s shoulder, she saw that Ardyn’s appearance changed dramatically. Black ooze came from his mouth and eyes and he looked very much like a daemon. The sclera in his eyes changed from white to black and took on a menacing look. Eliza might have been imagining it, but it looked like his teeth became fangs and his nails became claws. The man she loved wasn’t there anymore, she realized in dawning horror. She may have loved him but he didn’t seem to love her anymore. The daemons had infested his mind and spirit, transforming him into a creature full of hate. She placed a hand over her large stomach as if to shield the baby from the daemon that was coming out from her husband.

Gilgamesh walked in front of women and shielded them from Ardyn, uncertain what the former healer would do next. He had already summoned his blade and held it aloft. If Ardyn attacked, Eliza realized, they were going to kill him. 

“You have done that yourself!” shouted Somnus, fury plain in his tone. “Your rage and hatred have already done it! You’ve become the twisted, evil creatures you vowed to destroy! You are my brother, Ardyn! I love you, but I won’t love you to death!” 

In a flash, the battle ensued. Ardyn summoned his arsenal of weapons and lashed out at Gilgamesh and Somnus. The king and shield were both trained as well as Ardyn so they put up a good fight. However, Ardyn’s daemonic power seemed to make him stronger. He managed to get Gilgamesh on his knees and his brother on his back. Just as Ardyn tried to stab his brother in the chest, Eliza’s body reacted before her mind could. 

The pain was sharp but brief. She looked down and saw that she had been impaled by her own husband’s sword. The blood began to leak out of the wound and she felt herself getting cold. The baby surged inside of her, trying to escape from the pain of the sword that pierced it, and she knew the baby was dying. Her world began to blur around her and she saw the shared look of horror on Aurora and Gilgamesh’s faces. Dimly, she heard them screaming her name, but she couldn’t react. She looked back over her shoulder and saw Somnus gazing up at her with terror and anguish. She briefly gave him a smile and turned to face Ardyn. 

Her husband. Her lover. Her murderer. She stumbled forward, impaling herself deeper on the blade, and didn’t stop until she was face to face with Ardyn, who looked utterly shocked and devastated. She raised a shaky hand and placed it to his cheek, wiping away some of the black ooze. In one last act of love and forgiveness, she bent forward and pressed her lips to his. The kiss was soft and chaste, just like their first one. This would be her last kiss to give him. 

“I love you…” she said in garbled tone before she fell into his body and closed her eyes, going to sleep forevermore. 

In a flash, Ardyn pulled the sword out of her and held her body before it could fall to the floor. Black tears poured from the man’s eyes as he held his wife and mother of their unborn child. As he wept, he began to revert back to his human state and the tears began to get clearer. He held Eliza’s body in his arms and screamed in feral pain. His wife and unborn child were dead and now he was all alone in a cold world. He could hear Gilgamesh, Somnus, and Aurora yelling at him, but he didn’t listen to a word they said. He just sat there, cradling his wife’s form, and allowed himself to get stained by her quickly-pooling blood. 

“You monster!” screamed Somnus, sobbing over his sister-in-law’s death. “You killed her! You killed your wife and child! You are a monster, a daemon! I hate you! I hope the Astrals damn you forever!” 

The words cut Ardyn deeper than any blade, but he didn’t falter. “Leave me,” he said numbly, disregarding Somnus’s yelling. “I need to stay with my wife. She needs to rest before the baby is born.” 

The three guests stared at Ardyn like he grew another head and it was obvious that he had cracked. The man they knew, the kind, honorable, gentle man they loved, was gone. He was a shadow of his former self and his mind was truly twisted and broken. With a heavy heart, Somnus knew that he had to place Ardyn somewhere where he couldn’t hurt anyone else. This man, his brother, was a madman and he couldn’t be exposed to the outside world any longer. Somnus realized that this wasn’t his brother anymore. The man his brother was died when he became a daemonic monster. 

It took some time, but the king and shield pulled Ardyn away from Eliza’s body and took the body to get ready for burial. That left Ardyn alone, only to fall into the deeper insanity of his mind. The king issued a quiet yet formal burial and proclaimed Ardyn as a daemon who needed to be locked up for everyone’s protection. The former healer was brought to the island of Angelgard and left there to rot in a jail cell. He put up no fight when they brought him there because his mind was gone. 

It felt like hundreds of years passed but he wasn’t dying. The daemons he absorbed kept him alive and no matter how much he committed suicide, he kept coming back to life. There was no peace, no serenity. He wouldn’t get the sweet calm of death that he longed for. His beloved wife and child were in an afterlife that he would never see, and it was all Somnus’s fault. If Somnus hadn’t interfered, Ardyn would be living happily with his wife and child. During the time in prison, Ardyn spent most of it plotting for revenge and destroying the king and Oracle that brought him misery. 

I will get my revenge, he promised to himself, smirking in a demented manner as he sat in his cell. My love, I will avenge your death. You and our child will be avenged. They will know the suffering I have known. Let all Eos know that I am a wicked daemon. I will destroy this damned planet, along with the Astrals and people who brought us misery. Just you wait, my love. Just you wait.

And Ardyn did just that. He waited and bided his time until he could destroy the “true king” and the oracle that protected him. His revenge would come to pass, just as he plotted it.

…

Ardyn jerked awake and he found himself in the bed of his little queen, Beth. The beautiful woman was still asleep and curled up against him, smiling as she dreamed. For a wild second, Ardyn wondered what she was dreaming about until something drew his gaze into the middle of the room. What he saw took his breath away and felt like a punch to the stomach. 

It was her just as he remembered her. Eliza, full of beauty and life, pregnant, but sad. She stared at him with sorrowful green eyes and he felt himself trembling. She wore a beautiful white gown that did little to conceal the pregnancy that never resulted in anything. The woman shook her head and then turned away, tears streaming down her cheeks. He knew the woman was a ghost, but he wanted to believe she was real. 

“My love?” he said quietly so he wouldn’t wake Beth. “You haven’t left me.” The hope in his voice was pitiful even to him. 

“Ardyn, what are you doing?” Her voice was as soft as a whisper and welcome like a breeze. 

“I’m doing all this for you, my love,” he argued, his smile growing. “You and our child will be avenged. They will pay for all the wrongs they caused.” 

Eliza shook her head once more. “I never wanted this, Ardyn,” she said in a sorrowful voice. “I never wanted any of it. All I wanted was you and your love. Alas, it was not meant to be. I loved you, Ardyn. More than anything in this world. The poor girl next to you is just another one of your victims, just like poor Noctis and Lunafreya, two people who had no choice in their lives. You’ve killed and hurt so many people, myself included. I want to forgive you, my love, but I’m not sure I can. You are no longer the man I fell in love with. You’ve become twisted and evil. It breaks my heart to say it, Ardyn, but I cannot keep coming to you.” 

Panic welled up in Ardyn’s breast as he extricated himself from the sleeping Beth and stumbled out of bed, ignoring his nudity. In the dark, he hurried to stand in front of the only woman he ever loved. She gazed at him with sad indifference. 

“My love, don’t leave me,” he begged, falling to his knees in front of her. “I cannot live without you. I don’t want to lose you. Don’t leave.” 

Eliza gave a gentle sigh and placed a hand on his head, running her fingers through his mussed hair. “Maybe we will meet again,” she said gently, “in the next life. For now, goodbye, my love, I shall see you again someday.” 

Suddenly, Ardyn found himself kneeling in front of nothing and he got up to get back in bed with Beth. As he laid there, he stroked her hair and his resolved only grew stronger. The Astrals and Lucis line would pay for all the misery they brought him. For you, my darling Betsy, he promised as he closed his eyes to sleep once more, and our child. They will pay. Every last one of them. The thought lulled him to back to sleep, giving him hope to continue on his mission. He would get his revenge if it was the last thing he ever did. His wife and child would be avenged. Revenge would be his and be just as sweet.


End file.
